Self-binding harvester.



1. BERRY.

SELF BINDiNG HARVESTER.

APPLICATION FILED AUG.17| 19M.

1, 179,997. Patented Apr. 18, 1916.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

J. BERRY. SELF BINDINGHARVESTER. APPLICATION FILED AUG-17,1914.

Patented Apr. 18, 1916.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2- THE COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH c0.. WASHINGTON, D- c.

FTC.

JESSE BERRY, F LISBON, IOWA.

SELF-BINDING HARVESTER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 18, 1916.

Application filed. August 17, 1914. Serial No. 857,253.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Jnssn BERRY, a citizen of the United States,residing at Lisbon, in the county of Linn and State of Iowa, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Self-Binding Harvesters;and

I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exactdescription of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in theart to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to self-binding harvesters, and its object is tofacilitate the discharge of the bound sheaf by shifting the position ofthe shoe, with which the knotter is connected, to give an enlarged spacefor the sheaf as so discharged from the binder.

The nature of the invention is fully disclosed in the description andclaims following, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, inwhich Figure 1 is an elevation of a device embodying my invention asseen from the right side. Fig. 2 is a central, sectional view of thesame as in discharging position and seen from the opposite side. Fig. 3is a plan view of the same.

In the drawing, 1 designates the inclined table on which the gavel iscollected and bound, and is provided with the usual packer 2, holdingfoot 3, and needle 41. The knotter 5 is indicated, without being shownin detail, and is driven by the interrupted gear 6 on the shaft 7 which,it will be understood, is connected operatively with a self-bindingharvester not shown. In the revolution of the shaft 7 the sheaf 9 isdischarged from its bound position between the table 1 and the shoe 10,which shoe, as heretofore mounted, has been connected rigidly with asupporting rod (usually tubular) 11. The sheaf has therefore beengathered, packed, bound and discharged between two rigid andsubstantially parallel surfaces, the top of the table and the under sideof the shoe. In practice the construction described demands considerablepower, over that normally'employed, in the ejection of the sheaf, sincethe sheaf must be forced, by a quick motion, out between two practicallyparallel surfaces. This is of course especially true in the case oflarge, heavy and closely fitting sheaves or bundles. My invention isdesigned to relieve the binder of much of this extra power, and make theoperation of the binder easier on the driving mechanism of the machineand easier for the team.

Referring again to the drawings, it will be seen that the shoe is notconnected rigidly to any support at its front end, but is mounted so asto rock on the drive-shaft 7, and when its front end is depressed, asshown in Fig. 2, the space between it and the table opens outrearwardly, thus relieving the top and bottom pressure on the bundle,and permitting it to be easily discharged. The sup port for the shoe isa suspending rod 12 passing through a pivoted arm 13 and asuperimposedspring 14. The arm is mounted pivotally on the rod 11, and at its freeend engages a cam 15 on the interrupted gear wheel 6. This cam is sotimed that on the completion of the knotting operation, andafter theneedle has commenced to retreat, the arm descends and the shoe tilts asabove described to permit the easy e]ection of the bundle by thedischarge arms 16. The shoe is held laterally at the front end by theguide-lugs 17 of a collar 18 secured to the rod 11. A collar 19 holdsthe arm 18 in place adjacent.

It is of course essential to the proper working and safety of themachine that all the operations be positive and accurately timed. Forexample, it would not do for the shoe to be depressed while the needleis making its forward thrust (outward, as re gards the machine) ,norduring the operation of the knotter. If all the parts are accuratelyformed and set, however, the device will perform its functions properlywith only the mechanism above described. But as a protection againstpossible emergencies a supplemental positioning device is provided. Thisconsists of foot 20 pivoted in the upper part or neck of the shoe, andmeans for controlling its swinging movement. Its forward movement,considered with respect to the needle, is limited by side lugs 21 whichin the forward position abut against the neck of the shoe. It is given apositive backward movement by the very act of depressing the shoe, asimple device for that purpose being a finger 22, which, when the shoeis depressed, engages the guide-collar and swings the foot back, asshown in Fig. 2. Its backward movement is not wholly dependent upon themovement of the shoe, however, but may anticipate and control suchmovement of the shoe. This will'be apparent by considering the needle tobe in its extreme position, as indicated by the dotted lines in Fig. 1.If now the cam and its connections, owing to wear, or other wise, shouldnot support the shoe at the proper height, the foot, resting on thecurved upper arc of the needle, will do so. Under such conditions theleast retreating motion of the needle will tilt the foot, and the shoewill descend, continuing its descent by gravity as soon as the toe ofthe foot passes the center of gravity drawn vertically through thefoot-pivot.

In order to attain the highest efficiency the shoe should be madeconsiderably lighter than those in general use, which are rather heavycastings. This will be clear when it is considered that the knotting andejecting operations are very quickly performed, and the drop of the shoeshould be sudden to correspond. Being sudden, it is desirable, to avoidjar and strain, that the weight of the descending parts be notexcessive. In practice, therefore, I prefer a skeleton shoe, the mainportion of which is a fork of steel formed substantially like the partnumbered 10 having a looped and upturned neck to, receive the pivotedfoot, and twisted and spread out at the other extremity, with theknotter casting 10 riveted thereto. The side fenders of the shoe may besimple steel rods 10 set in lugs 23 of the guide-collar 18, and heldsuitably in place, as by set-screws 25. The fenders need not tilt, andthe lower portion of the shoe, which bears against the bundle, is bothstrong and light.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. In a self-binder, the combination with a rotating knotter-shaft, aknotter in intermittent operative relation therewith, and a needle incooperative relation to the knotter, of a cam carried by said shaft anda connec tion of the same with said shoe whereby the shoe isintermittently tilted, and a swinging foot mounted at the free end ofthe shoe and above the path of the needle, substantially as and for thepurpose set forth.

2. In a self-binder, the combination with a rotating knotter-shaft, aknotter in intermittent operative relation therewith, and a needle incooperative relation to the knotter. of a shoe mounted to oscillate onsaid shaft, means for intermittently oscillating the same, a swingingfoot mounted at the free end of the shoe and above the path of theneedle, and adapted to rest on the needle when thrust forward, and limitthe tilt of the shoe, and means connected with said foot adapted topositively shift it out of such supporting position as the needleretreats and the shoe descends to normal position.

3. In a self-binder, the combination with a. rotating knotter-shaft, anintermittently operating knotter mounted thereon, and a needlecooperating with said knotter, of a shoe mounted to rock a limiteddistance on the knotter-shaft, a lateral guide for its free end, andmeans adapted to tilt the shoe to bundle-relieving position during thedis charge of the bundle, and to restore it to normal position prior tothe forward thrust of the needle.

4. In a self-binder, the combination with a rotary knotter-shaft, anintermittent knotter mounted thereon and a needle cooperating with theknotter, of a shoe composed of flat bar-steel and a knotter casting towhich it is attached, the bar forming a loop at the free end, twistedand upturned, and a swinging foot pivoted therein.

5. In a self-binder, the combination with a rotary knotter-shaft, anintermittently operating knotter mounted thereon and a needlecooperating with the knotter, of a shoe mounted to rock on theknotter-shaft and adjacent stationary rods fixed to some rigid portionof the machine, substantially parallel with the shoe and at the sidesthereof, and adapted to shield the shoe from straw and litter,substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I afliX my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JESSE BERRY. WVitnesses:

JOE-N AURAGHER,

S. G. FoUsE.

tlopi es of this patent may he obtained for five cents each, byaddressing the Commissioner of Patents, W shingmn D.-

